Hobby Boss 1/200 USS Hercules (PHM 2) Pegasus Class.

[spanner570]

After seeing this on Dave's 'Spotted on 'tinternet' and going dirt cheap, I just had to get it.
I've never built a hydrofoil anything.

First impressions? A lovely, well engineered kit, stuffed full of detail. Most of the deck bits are tiny, but still well detailed.

Here is the box art and sprue shots.


A ruck of the P.E. is just plain daft and can hardly be seen, so I'll pick and choose what to use and what to bin. I'll do my best, but please don't expect a totally accurate model, 'cos it ain't going to happen!


All the above somehow goes on this!





Cheers.
Ron

 

[adt70hk]

Very different!

 

[stillp]

I'm looking foward to seeing the wake.
Pete

 

[Jim R]

Interesting and different Ron. Right up your street.

 

[Neil Merryweather]

I'm looking foward to seeing the wake.
Pete

me too!

 

[spanner570]

Thanks for the words of encouragement chaps!

Me thinks I'm gonna need as much help as I can muster.

 

[spanner570]

Update....
There is an option of having the foils out of the water and fixed horizontal to the hull. I'm going for the 'Flying' version.

You have to fit the forward hydrofoil thingy before fixing the main deck. But as it clips and pivots on the hull, the arse end one can be left off until later. Makes things easier.


Here's the two foils in place and the jet propulsion units glued on.








Cheers.
Ron

 

[Dave Ward]

Jim.
I've been thinking about how to display this.................................
On a seascape, with the foils submerged, & throwimg up a wake
Waterborne with the foils folded up
Mounted on a plinth - maybe on a clear perspex rod fastened into the hull.
I can see plus points for all and negatives. I can't decide which!
Have you any thought on how you'll display the Hecules?
Dave

 

[spanner570]

To be honest Dave, I haven't decided 100% how to display it yet. It's tough enough building the thing!

As you write, all options have their plus's and negatives.

Foils folded up is not an option for me, as although the aft foil is just snapped in for now, I've fixed the forward one in the down position before gluing on the main deck.

Cheers.
Ron

 

[minitnkr]

How are they steered? How do jets work out of the water? Apparently they turn tight & go up to 45 knots. Look cool, but seem not to have had a mission.

 

[spanner570]

Paul.
Info. from the box blurb.

'They were originally intended for service with NATO in the North Sea and the Baltic.
The USA procurred six of them and put them to good use between 1977 and 1993 in the Caribbean Basin chasing narcotic goings on and general coastal patrols.'


From the internet.......Two diesel engines powered them when waterborne and two rudders provided the steerage. A huge single gas turbine power plant supplied a massive amount of water jet when 'Foiling'

Just how the water was scooped up by the turbine I don't know. There is nothing on the model to give a clue to your question.
Perhaps someone will come along with the answer...

Thanks for your interest.
Ron

 

[Jim R]

It would be stunning displayed similar to the box art. I wouldn't have the faintest idea how to do it but you do have a track record for the "impossible"

 

[Dave Ward]

eem not to have had a mission.

They were really limited to coastal waters, as they had limited range, and as you say, the US Navy had no real role for them. It was suggested that the US Coastguard use them for anti-drug use, but were very expensive to run, and didn't do anything a conventional patrol boat could do, at a much cheaper cost. They were retired from service in 1993 & subsequently scrapped


They were powered by 2 diesel engines driving water jets hull borne, steered by conventional rudders., and a single water jet pump driven by a gas turbine, taking suction from the front of the rear foils, and pushing it out from the rear when on stilts. Not too sure about steering, though, either diverting the water flow, or using flaps on the hydrofoil planes may be a possibility - not much detailed info around...........
Dave

 

[spanner570]

I can but try Jim.
I managed to tame the present Mrs. Ron. does that count as 'Impossible', I wonder?

Sorry Dave, our posts crossed.
Thanks for posting the images and solving most of the mystery surrounding these cob looking vessels propulsion.

Re. steering. Is that a sort of rudder on the back of the front hydrofoil or perhaps the whole thing swiveled? (Front steering sort of thing)

Thanks both for your contributions.

Ron

 

[minitnkr]

I couldn't find anything definitive on steering except it apparently had a very tight turn radius and was considered very agile.

 

[Dave Ward]

Is that a sort of rudder on the back of the front hydrofoil or perhaps the whole thing swiveled?

I think steerable water jets & plane flaps would make it agile - a bow rudder? I suppose it's possible, but, like aircraft, boats/ships tend to have the steering at the rear...................
Dave

 

[Andy T]

I know nothing about these craft but this discussion prompted me to have a quick search. There's pictures of them leaning over at quite an alarming angle! Strong stomach needed I guess.

Great to see something very different to the norm being built so I'll hang around and see what you create from it if I may.

 

[Waspie]

I did and exercise with some Italian Hydrofoils. (Taranto). Very fast and manoeuvrable. They seem to like hiding themselves in fishing fleets, waiting for their prey, then up - up and away on their foils!!! Very impressive seeing them in full flow!! (We still thrashed them).

Be interesting seeing this US version built. Watching I will be!

 

[spanner570]

Thanks chaps.
I've made a start on the superstructure.

I was going to hack out the plastic windows, but the thing is annoying me enough as it is......



A bit of photo etch has been added




...and there's still more diddy bits to add!

Cheers.
Ron

 

[Gern]

Why for is it annoying you so much? Surely you've done enough diddy models to cope with fiddly bits?